Not in a bad way, but with an eye to avoid future trouble. The chiders have a point when they ask, "So, you can't afford to take the tree out now, but you will once it has destroyed someone's home?"
A point, yes; but it is already too late: I bicycled to the market for some last-minute brunch items and on my return, I met a very morose-looking opossum in our stub of a driveway, ambling away from the tree, where Tree Guy was buzzing busily. Poor thing looked depressed even for a possum, which is saying a lot. I believe it has found itself evicted.
In terms of removing the tree vs. trimming it, I'm making a bet with the tree and one I might lose: I'm betting that a few hundred invested now will get it through another winter and after that -- we'll see. I'd rather prune it back a little at a time than take on a huge tree all at once. Our tree expert works alone; if we had him take this tree out, it'd be his full time job for the next month! (And that's not gonna happen; aside from me not bein' able to pay for 160+ hours of tree work, his dance card is already crowded. He was slow getting around to this one 'cos of a couple of tree-on-house, tree-on-power-drop disasters).
BUILDING A 1:1 BALUN
4 years ago
6 comments:
I hope B'rer Possum didn't have a family to care for.
I saw no passengers, so if there is a family, they're old enough to fend for themselves.
Possums often appear to me to be puzzled as to why they are here.
You have 1/3 of the solution on your desk- the wrist rocket.
Find a Zebco 202 fishing reel- heck, you might already have one. Get a 1 ounce weight, or just drill a hole in a 45 bullet. That's 2/3 of the kit. Tape or wire tie the reel under the handle of the slingshot.
use the slingshot to shoot the weight and the line over the branch of the tree you'd like to remove. (Classic method for hanging ham antennas, which you probably already knew) Use the zebco to reel the line back in, this time connected to a pullsaw (basically, two pieces of rope tied to an opened out chainsaw blade) Those are available at Harbor freight or you can make one. That's the final third.
Cut down one branch every couple of days, take them out in pieces if need be. Not stressful, not dangerous if you have a helper/spotter, and will minimize the amount of money necesary to have the job finished later. A fun hobby!
Roberta,
And safety gear...goggles, hard hat, gloves. Easy to forget that stuff.
Having removed a flock of trees due to disease and insect damage I can say this. Ouch, pain, oh the aching purse.
If you can do it slowly the wallet shock is less.
Wrist rocket, banned infernal device in MA. Neeed bad for antennas.
Eck!
Oh, do I have an "infernal device" for you!
--Slingshots in general, I'll take Chief AJ's over any Wrist Rocket.
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